The Age Newspaper wrote:St Kilda's Palace entertainment complex is to close next month after giving up a long-running battle over a planned $350 million redevelopment of the site.

The venue's operators, Bradto Pty Ltd, today released a statement announcing The Palace would close on June 12.

Some of the 20 concerts and events due to be staged at the complex up to December 31 would be cancelled, according to the statement.

Upcoming events listed on The Palace website include a concert by American indie band The Shins.

Over the years some of the world's biggest rock acts Ã¢â‚¬â€ including Nirvana and The Ramones Ã¢â‚¬â€ have played at the Palace.

Sorry for 'destruction'

"Bradto wishes to apologise to the people of Victoria for not being able to prevent the closure and destruction of The Palace," the statement reads.

"We submit that the people of Victoria and in particular the people of St Kilda do not want the Palace to close, and this is evident by the hundreds and thousands of Victorians who have frequented The Palace.

"The Palace is one of the last true live music venues in Victoria and the loss of The Palace will have a significant and adverse affect (sic) on the live entertainment industry..."

Plans for a $100 million makeover of the St Kilda "triangle site" - the land next to Luna Park - on which the Palace sits stumbled last month.

Under the development plans, the Palace was expected to be bulldozed and the neighbouring Art Deco Palais Theatre refurbished.

Local artists 'dismayed'

Local veteran rocker Wally Meanie, who over the years has played many gigs at The Palace with his band The Meanies, told theage.com.au that he was shocked at the news of the iconic venue's demise.

"I guess I'm shocked and dismayed,'' he said.

"Many great memories . . . many great gigs gone to, many great gigs done . . . it'll be a f---ing shame. It's a bit of an institution really,''

He said the venue will be sorely missed.

"The people that run the Palace are unreal, they've always been very supportive,''

Techno artist Josh Abraham, aka Puretone, who had the international hit Addicted to Bass, told theage.com.au that although well known as a rock venue, The Palace was also important in establishing Melbourne's electronic scene.

"I went to my first rave there in 1991. It was called Chemistry 3," Abraham said.

"It was a revelation to me; up until that time I had a pretty dim view of both the rave scene and the music that went with it,but that night was transformative for me, somehow an understanding clicked in."

theage.com.au. With Leo Shanahan and Nick Sheridan.

It's a shame to see this great venue go, but there were alot of great gigs there.

There was a festival I was going to attend at the Palace, but it soon got canceled because the promoter ran off with all our money. From memory the gig was called "Metal over Australia", or something along those lines. It was going to be around 2000 I believe, but soon after the announcement was made the promoter canceled the gig and took the money. It would have been a decent show because on the bill was Sodom, Marduk, Doro, Cryptopsy and afew other big names in the metal scene at that time.

Still, it seems most of these band have come once or twice already so I guess that makes up for lost time.

Did anyone see what happened in Melbourne this morning, absolutely terrible.

Ninemsn.com.au wrote:Monday Jun 18 09:32 AESTBy ninemsn staff and wiresA man who tried to help a woman who was being dragged by her hair from a cab has been shot dead in Melbourne's central business district this morning.The gunman Ã¢â‚¬â€ who is still on the run Ã¢â‚¬â€ also shot and wounded the woman and a second man who tried to intervene. Both are in a serious condition in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The shooting happened about 8.15am on the corner of Williams St and Flinders Lane. Ambulance officers have placed a sheet over a body at the scene.

Police said the gunman is six feet tall, has short, light brown hair, and is wearing black jeans and a denim jacket.

Melbourne's city centre is in shutdown as police search the area for the gunman, with offices sealed off and people kept away from nearby workplaces.

Sources have told Southern Cross Radio there have been no positive sightings of the gunman since the shooting.

An eye witness told the radio station he saw a woman being dragged from the cab by her hair.

"She was powerless. A couple of guys came to assist Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ he pulled out a gun.""He shot one of the guys twice. Then he shot the woman and then the other guy."

"After the shooting, he just casually walked away."

Police have confirmed one of the men who was shot has died.

Cherie Harding, a worker in the Rialto building opposite the shooting scene, said several of her colleagues heard up to four shots.

Ms Harding said she saw ambulances at the scene and stretchers being used to transport patients.

"There are a few people here who heard them (gunshots)," she said.Carly, who is in the Rialto building on Collins Street, said people in her building had been told not to move.

"We've just been told that none of our people who are waiting downstairs to come upstairs can come up," Carly told 3AW.

"They've blocked off all the access to the floors in our building because they're still looking for the shooter.

"We're not allowed to go anywhere and no-one is allowed to come up into the building."

Carly said she had heard six or seven shots about 8.15am, coming from the corner of Flinders Lane and William Street.

Ambulance spokesman James Howe earlier told of paramedics trying to resuscitate a critically injured victim at the scene.

He believed the gunshot wounds were in the victims' upper bodies.

Police Inspector Glenn Weir asked people in the area not to panic.

"There is an extensive search underway to try and find the offender at the moment," Insp Weir said.

"There are numerous police attending to the search within the vicinity of the incident and there is a large cordon and containment operation underway as we speak.

"We are just asking the public not to panic and assist police if requested and if you have no business being in the vicinity of Flinders Lane and William Street please keep out of the area."

Inspector Weir said it appeared the gunman knew the victims.

"There is no suggestion this is a random act - it appears there was a relation with the gunman and the victims, so we are asking people not to panic," he told ABC radio.

Malcolm Bates, a witness, said before the shooting broke out the gunman grabbed a woman by the neck as she sat in a taxi, and tried to get into the vehicle.

"The lady got away and he turned and shot three people basically point blank," Mr Bates said. "I was right across the road."

He told ABC radio the gunman then ran down Flinders Lane toward the city centre.

Dedicated to bringing the Aussie metal public all the latest news from the local scene, MetalObsession.net now needs your help to stay alive and strong! And what better way to do it than put on a gig for you! Saturday March 6th is the date, and the venue, Melbourne’s Corner Hotel.

On the back of their 2009 album Set in Stone, Sydney’s Lord brings their catchy, energetic live show back to Melbourne to headline the night. Local support comes in the form of melodic thrashers Dreadnaught, groove metallers Frankenbok, quirky prog rockers Toehider, and straight-up thrashers Septerrus. Do the Aussie metal scene a favour, and come over for a night of stellar local talent.